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Scam attempt on Craigslist

108.185.129.12
Posted on October 22, 2020 at 17:31:50
2-ears
Audiophile

Posts: 240
Location: Orange County, CA
Joined: January 19, 2003
 I don't hide my infatuation with the Kef LS50 wireless speakers. With some reservation, I upgraded to the new LS50 Wireless II speakers and posted an ad for my LS50W (Nocturne Edition) speakers on Craigslist. Right away I got few responses and one in particular from a person who claimed to be definitely interested, but with work commitments, an upcoming wedding for her daughter, and house move, she couldn't pick the speakers up right away. She offered to send me a check + $50 in good faith to hold the speakers. I agreed. The next day, she emailed to confirm that the check was overnighted, but due to a screw up by her husband's secretary, the amount was for more than we agreed; the difference was to go to the mover. I reassured that I'll keep my portion give the excess to the driver. The check arrived, but the amount was $2,250 over our agreed price. Hmmm...this is getting a little stinky, right? Big screw up by the secretary? And, oh yes, the mover wants a money order for $2,250. I deposited the check and was supposed email the buyer to arrange for the pickup and money order delivery. I can be too trusting sometimes, but I'm not stupid. The check wasn't going to clear for 4 days. Seeing that I was an uncooperative subject, a stop payment was issued on day 3.

Does anyone want to ask me about the LS50 Wireless II speakers?

 

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RE: Scam attempt on Craigslist, posted on November 18, 2020 at 07:02:30
JURB
Audiophile

Posts: 2056
Location: North Ohio
Joined: May 29, 2016
 "The check wasn't going to clear for 4 days."

That is another thing. Even a cashiers check from a bank, whatever can be a scam. It takes much longer than four days to clear.

Almost anyone can forge such a check with a LASER printer. Your bank gets it and due to federal regulations has to make the funds available to you in a timely fashion. So if you withdraw the money, and it happens to put you at a negative balance without those funds you will get a notice in the mail to bring in the money to settle it, and after a short time penalties will accrue. If you don't give them the money you can never have a bank account anywhere until you pay up. I almost don't blame the banks even though they are a bunch of pricks, the government mandated they give you the money before they could be sure they have it, why should they eat the loss ?

I was actually pleasantly surprised by a deal on Craigslist recently. I have been kinda looking or an external HD for a time but not like a heart lung machine. So up shows a guy giving one away, 500GB. Well that is good enough, but he lives quite far away. I asked if he would ship and he said yes, $15. so I sent off the postal money order and waited. It was not speedy shipping but so what. I was about to contact him and ask and the thing shows up.

The other night I formatted it and put 94GB on it of music ad videos and movies and whatever.

But the guy was willing to let you come and pick it up so I saw not much chance of a scam, thought right before I went to the post office and sent him the MO I emailed and made sure the deal was on because I don't need to go get a refund on the MO. He wrote back that it is a done deal so there I went.

He could have easily just pocketed the money. If he stuck it to me I would probably have to sue him in his venue which I think is 35 miles away. Three trips, file the suit, go once, then twice more usually, that would be more in gas than the thing is worth. Three trips, adds up to 35 X 6 which is 210, figure 20 MPG because no matter what your car gets it matters more what the road gets. So about ten gallons at around two bucks a gallon.

Still, Craigslist is somewhat a den of scammers. Too easy.

I used to put in all my ads "Cash and carry".

The scams are usually obvious, and the only way to put them out is to not give them what they want - money. You can tell.

So, Mister deposed President of some country I ever heard of, your daughter is getting married in a month, you moved, you need me to take a check for millions and just refund all but what you owe me. And of course you were shopping for a used LASER printer during all this.

I know this is no joke, but sometimes I just gotta laugh.

 

RE: Scam attempt on Craigslist, posted on October 23, 2020 at 12:47:26
Chris K.
Audiophile

Posts: 400
Location: West Central Florida
Joined: August 15, 2001
 A few years ago I posted a digital cable on US Audio Mart for $85. I got a few inquiries, but one guy supposedly in Texas wrote and said he needed an S/PDIF cable. He told me he didn't have a PayPal account, but could send me a money order. I agreed and a couple of days later I received a FedEx envelope with a return address from a local suburb here in Florida with the return addressee being an attorney. When I opened it up, it was a "payroll" check for over $1850. Upon close examination, it was clear the check came off of a printer. He claimed he wanted to get it fast and I could just cash the check and send him the difference when I shipped the cable. I took it to my local police station where they called FedEx to find out it came from St. Louis! US Audio caught up with him and removed or banned him. End of story is that I later sold the cable to a legit buyer using PayPal. Now, if anybody reading this really and truly is so generous to pay me over 20 times my asking price for anything I post, we just might, maybe, be able to cut a deal...

 

Strange car transaction, posted on October 23, 2020 at 10:01:09
M3 lover
Audiophile

Posts: 6598
Location: SW Mich
Joined: May 29, 2005
Contributor
  Since: July 4, 2007
 Last year I sold a car on Craigslist. I'd had multiple audio and household item sales previously without problems so even though this was a bigger ticket I didn't worry.

One guy responded saying he wanted to bring his son to see it and they could be here in half an hour. They came on time, looked it over carefully, then ask for a test drive. They returned in about 10 minutes and said they'd like to buy the car. He ask if I'd take less but I held firm. So he said they had cash and wanted to complete the sale that evening. I'd expected needing to meet him at his bank the next day. Anyway, he went to his car and returned with an envelope stuffed with $20s. I counted out the money and found it a couple of thousand short! He was apologetic and said the remainder "must have fallen out". He went back to his car and returned with the remaining money.

I was left wondering if that was an "honest" mistake of if he was trying to slicker me? He seems honorable otherwise, in fact he did return my plates (I'd brought the car from out of state) a few days later. I wondered if I'd ever see him again!

"The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you've got it made." Groucho

 

RE: Strange car transaction, posted on October 25, 2020 at 03:30:03
JURB
Audiophile

Posts: 2056
Location: North Ohio
Joined: May 29, 2016
 "He went back to his car and returned with the remaining money.

I was left wondering if that was an "honest" mistake of if he was trying to slicker me?"

What do you think if he had the cash in the car ?

In 1995 we had a house fire. Being the type were are/were we did some of the work for a kickback from the insurance company. Nothing illegal, it was as if we kinda worked for them. It was better not to have them traipsing around the whole house anyway.

So settlement dday comes and the contracting company's owner's son comes to make the deal, he is short by about half but flashes the cash thinking probably that we would just get googeley eyed and take it. Nope. So he leaves to go get it. In the meantime Jack and I went for beer. What did we see on the sidestreet ? (next street you turned to be headed the right way to park on the street) he is in his car with his shoe in his hand !

We laughed all day over that one, but we got our money.

If you think I'm good you should have seen the olman. i was shacked up a bit with some dumb cunt. I went to work and she got on the phone and ran up $300 in chat phone bills. We called the phone company and arranged to pay them but not those charges. (we shared the phone line) They said that the company would pursue collections. So they call. they used all the usual collection tactics, They didn't ever on us but I heard from others about it. "Don't you care about your credit rating ?". And then, and I consider this a stroke of genius, he said "Hey that girl was under eighteen".

ZAM, fixed like a speeding ticket when you got diplomatic immunity. They can't do shit without a judgement, putting it on our credit would be actionable and suing us for the money would be admitting to pandering to a minor.

I don't know how to teach this shit, it took me fifty years to learn it. But think on your feet. On Craigslist ads I used to put "cash and carry" but don't really now. Even with cash and carry in the ad sometimes I got them, "I can't make it to pick the item up but I will send you a cashier's check for the full amount plus some to cover your trouble".

If you get such a check, cash it at a check cashing place. Some don't even require ID, but a thumbprint. But then they will go after the sender. You have not only plausible deniability, but complete deniability. If they ask why you cashed it there instead of at your bank say "I didn't want to wait for the money". That is not even a lie, you didn't want to wait FOREVER for the money !

Boy people are lucky I only use my powers for good. One dream of mine is to really scam the scammers. I mean clean the motherfuckers out.

Nice to dream, but they really know their business. It'll probably never happen. If it does you'll be the third to know.

 

A scam on Craigslist? I'm shocked! Nt, posted on October 23, 2020 at 08:02:04
geoffkait
 Nt

 

RE: Scam attempt on Craigslist, posted on October 23, 2020 at 06:04:57
The Dill
Audiophile

Posts: 2197
Location: Portland, Oregon
Joined: July 1, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 3, 2016
 I have done hundreds of Craigslist sales since the creation of CL. All transactions are done in my garage with a camera operating and recording. I put in the ad that it is a cash only sale, no offers or trades. I use a counterfeit detection lamp on all bills before approving the transaction. If selling a car or any expensive item, I meet the buyer at their bank and watch them issue a cashier's check and they give it to me. If they do not want to follow my protocols, no sale. There will always be another buyer. Yes, cash is king!

 

Cash is king! 'nuf said....nt, posted on October 23, 2020 at 04:55:58
Uncle Mike
 nt

 

in this day and age I avoid checks at all cost , posted on October 23, 2020 at 03:53:36
Green Lantern
Audiophile

Posts: 16952
Location: San Diego, Ca
Joined: November 12, 2002
Contributor
  Since: June 17, 2003
 If it's a local sale I'll ask the buyer to meet me at HIS (or her) bank to cash the check, otherwise it's either cash, paypal or money order, but even money orders can easily be produced off $50 printers these days.

I sold a bike on Craigslist a while back and someone 'immediately' responded and asked me to text him back a 'number' to make sure "I" was legit.

I thought about that for a minute and I responded with "Why? I'm legit, either you want the product or not".

I then googled the 'text me a number' deal and then learned by texting him (or her) a specific number (4 or 5 digit) I would authorize that person to have complete control of my phone!











 

No, I would only ask intelligent folk. nt, posted on October 22, 2020 at 22:24:03
viridian
 Nt

 

This is a well known con, posted on October 22, 2020 at 19:52:35
sleeper
Audiophile

Posts: 1163
Joined: May 21, 2002
 Some scammer recently tried to dupe a friend of mine who had a car for sale on Craigslist with an identical line of BS.

 

RE: Scam attempt on Craigslist, posted on October 22, 2020 at 18:25:21
JURB
Audiophile

Posts: 2056
Location: North Ohio
Joined: May 29, 2016
 Live and learn.

This is a typical scam. When you list something just put "Cash and carry". It is no longer needed here in Cleveland because there have been so many of them.

The best have tried to scam me. At my business, this is 1982 when I was 22, they called. They offered me a free IBM computer if I buy a six month supply of natural vitamin C. First, I didn't believe the computer thing so I called my Uncle who worked for IBM. At the time they didn't sell computers, they leased them. So even IF they got you the lease you would have to pay for it. Then I did a little more research (and this is before the internet) and found out the shelf life of natural vitamin C was a month.

A real good one that worked on alot of old people was they are at the bank and we are the FBI investigating this guy. We need you to take your money out of the bank as a lure to make him operate the scam so we can bust him.

And then of course there is the one where one of your ancestors either won the lottery, got deposed or whatever and you are entitled to five hundred billion Nigerian niaras but to get that money you have to send $5,000 to release that money, also your tracking and account numbers. (FYI, 400 niaras is about a dollar)

I have never been rich but I almost always had money. I was a target in a way I guess, but I didn't fall for their shit because I checked facts.

Another thing, the only thing you can take from a remote location is a postal money order. Because of a federal mandate involving funds availability the bank must make funds available to you in X days. They have no time to REALLY check out the check. That means a cashier's check or whatever else a bank may issue. With a LASER printer those can all be duplicated with changes. They have been.

So what happens is you get he funds available but than they discover the instrument is o good. YOU pay, not them. If you end up overdrawn you get a letter that you must bring in cash to settle within X days or else. No more account, no more accounts ANYWHERE, they blacklist you. Hope you don't get paid by direct deposit.

Scams like this are fucking DANGEROUS. You don't play those cards right you can lose your house and car and put your kids on the street to freeze to death.

And watch for the scam guardians on TV. Lifelock has a guy who says soem anonymous person filed his axes and took a six grand refund, "An anonymous person and an anonymous person".

Try that sometimes. I am on the up and up and when I lacked ID I had BIG BIG problems.

I can't say it didn't happen to that guy, but it is his own stupidity and ignorance and trust of the "protection" they said he had.

Now, let's say uo want to file taxes in another person's name and take the refund. Well first of all you need to know he is getting a big refund. Otherwise why bother, but how do you know that ?

Next, you need the W-2s and whatever. Of course you have to file before he does. If I had six grad coming it would be filed as soon as possible. so he gets copies of your tax records how ?

Then this anonymous bank account shit. To cash that check you need a bank account. To get a bank account you need a picture ID. To get a picture ID you need a birth certificate. To get a birth certificate you need Mother's maiden name. What the fuck was that doing on any of his devices. It this happened I wonder if he deserved it for being so damn stupid.

All this means that Lifelock and Norton's are lying and if not they are doing a hell of alot of lying by omission.

The bottom line is if they contact you (other than a face to face deal) or advertise to you, you do not want it. If I want something you got I will call you. I did not buy any Nigerian lottery tickets and I know that none of my lineage traces back there until you get near Adam and Eve.

And anytime anyone offers you something for free, RUN.

Then you are ALMOST safe.

 

RE: Scam attempt on Craigslist, posted on October 22, 2020 at 18:17:32
The Dill
Audiophile

Posts: 2197
Location: Portland, Oregon
Joined: July 1, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 3, 2016
 Any more red flags and you would have a parade ...

 

RE: Scam attempt on Craigslist, posted on November 12, 2020 at 17:40:57
mwheelerk
Audiophile

Posts: 434
Location: Gilbert, Arizona
Joined: December 27, 2005
 great response, big smile

 

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